


Both of You

by ifonlytheclockworkcouldspeak



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 09:58:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3442952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifonlytheclockworkcouldspeak/pseuds/ifonlytheclockworkcouldspeak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura is really sad on her mother's birthday, Carmilla comforts her, and Laura takes Carmilla to meet Mrs. Hollis. I promise it's not terribly sad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Both of You

Laura loved when Carmilla played the guitar.  The vampire would sit up against the headboard, legs outstretched, strumming the instrument with experienced fingers.  Laura would lie across the bed, head resting between Carmilla’s knees, and listen to her play.  Carmilla strummed delicately, sometimes humming along with the chords.  The soft vibrations of the strings and the quiet squeak of Carmilla’s fingers on the frets soothed the tiny girl.  Neither of them spoke, they would just stay like that, perfectly still aside from Carmilla’s playing, enjoying each other’s company. 

//

On a rainy afternoon in May, Laura came into their room where Carmilla was sprawled across the bed reading a book.  The vampire looked up from her book upon hearing Laura enter.  She looked tired and disheveled and Carmilla could see sadness in her eyes.  She decided against questioning the girl, instead opening her arms, which Laura promptly fell into. 

“How can I help?” Carmilla muttered into Laura’s hair.  The younger girl just sighed in response. “Okay,” Carmilla nodded, kissing the top of Laura’s head. 

“Carm,” Laura barely managed to whisper after a while.

“Hmm?”

“Will you play for me?” Carmilla nodded, holding Laura up by her shoulders and standing up from the bed.  She pulled her guitar from its case and settled back into the headboard, beginning to strum quietly.  An exhausted Laura relaxed against her legs and fell asleep within minutes.

//

Two hours later, Carmilla finished her book and put it down next to her, glancing at Laura.  She smiled when she saw the girl was still sleeping, but the smile quickly faded when Carmilla noticed the tears running down her cheeks.  Concerned, the vampire shifted, trying not to startle Laura.  She kneeled next to her, shaking the girl gently.

“Laura? Hey, cupcake, wake up, what’s the matter?” Carmilla wiped away the tears that were still spilling from her eyes.

“What?” Asked a sleepy Laura, blinking several times.

“What’s wrong, you were crying in your sleep,” Carmilla prompted, sitting down and pulling the tiny girl close to her.

“Oh, it’s nothing, I just— it’s just—” Laura sighed, shaking her head quickly, “It’s my mom’s birthday today, and I really miss her, and I wanted to go to see her but it’s raining, and I…” Laura’s words trailed off as she began to cry again.  Carmilla held the girl tighter, stroking her hair and whispering softly to her.  Laura’s sobs quieted after a few minutes and she sat up, wiping her face and looking at Carmilla.

“My mom played guitar.  She used to play for me when I was little and couldn’t sleep.  It’s one of the only things I can still remember about her,” She explained. 

Carmilla nodded sadly and Laura continued, “I just wish you could meet her, you know? She’d love you, you’re a lot like she was.”

“Why don’t you tell me about her?” The vampire suggested.  Laura leaned back into Carmilla’s shoulder and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts.

“She was my hero.  She had the biggest heart of anyone I’d ever heard of.  I never heard a cruel word come out of her mouth.  On Sunday mornings, she used to wake me up early, before the sun came up, and we would get in the car and just drive.  Sometimes it was to the grocery store, sometimes the park, once or twice we even went to the beach.  She would put on some old songs in the car and we would sing them at the top of our lungs, laughing the whole time.  That’s what I remember about her most, I think, her voice, her laugh, how she just shined happiness.  I was always so happy with her.  When I was seven and we drove to the beach, I remember holding her hand, running to keep up with her and splashing water all over the place.  I remember her playing guitar when I couldn’t sleep. Landslide was her favorite, she would sing it, too.  She loved Stevie Nicks. She loved all kinds of music, even in different languages, but that was her favorite.” Laura looked up at the vampire, who still had her full attention on her.  Carmilla gave Laura a small smile, making a mental note to play the song for her.  Stevie’s one of her favorites, too.

“She used to make my Halloween costumes from scratch, and she made the best hot chocolate….” Laura continued like this for quite a while.  Carmilla leaned her head back, stroking Laura’s arm and imagining Mrs. Hollis.  She could see where Laura got some of her best qualities.  She was sorry that this woman who was so good had to die while she, a much less noble character, would  live for centuries.  She sat up again when she felt Laura tense up, the small girl’s voice rising sharply.

“But I don’t remember her face, Carm.  I don’t remember her face!” Laura suddenly realized, tears threatening to spill from her eyes once again.

“Hey, hey, Laura, shh, it’s okay,” Carmilla comforted her, pulling her close again, “You remember what’s important.  You remember her heart and her happiness and her love.  That’s what matters, okay?” Laura pulled back from her and Carmilla turned her face to look at her, wiping away her tears again.  “I know you love her, and I know you miss her so much, but you are not going to forget her.  I can see so much of her in you, sweetheart.  Your mom sounds wonderful and I wish I could have the chance to meet her,” Carmilla kissed Laura’s forehead and glanced out their window. 

“It’s not raining anymore,” The vampire pointed out.  It was still cloudy and gloomy but it seemed good enough to go outside.

“Will you come with me, Carm? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

//

Carmilla decided to wait in the car and let Laura have some time alone with her mom.  Laura walked along the path and sat down in the grass in front of the gravestone. She laid down the flowers she’d brought in front of her, pulling her knees to her chest.

“Hi, Mommy,” she spoke slowly, “Happy Birthday.  I miss you so, so much.  Graduation was great, although I miss my friends already.  Dad’s good, I’m sure he talked to you already.  I just really wish you were here, this being a grown up thing is not as fun as I thought.  I just really miss you, Mom.  Um, there’s someone I want you to meet.  I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get her.”  Laura stood up and quickly strode back down the gravel path to the parking lot where Carmilla sat in the driver’s seat.  She opened the door, leaning down to Carmilla.

“Carm, will you come and meet my mom?” Laura asked.  She sniffled, then shook her head and tilted her chin up.

“Of course,” Carmilla smiled at the thought.

Laura wiped at her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat, determined not to cry.  She took Carmilla’s hand and they walked slowly back down the path to Laura’s mother’s grave.  They reached the small patch of grass and Carmilla scanned the area: the flowers, the spot in the grass where she figured Laura had been sitting, the engraving— _Julie Renee Hollis, Beloved Mother and Wife, Friend of all Creatures_.  Carmilla smiled at the word creatures.  Mr. Hollis probably didn’t mean it literally when he put it on there.  Laura squeezed Carmilla’s hand, then dropped it and knelt down in the grass.  Carmilla hesitated for a second then joined.  Laura immediately took hold of her hand again.

“Mommy,” Laura spoke gently but firmly, “This is Carmilla.” She took a breath, “She’s amazing and I really wish you were here to meet her.  She’s a lot like you; beautiful, creative, and fearless…. and she loves cats.” Laura giggled as Carmilla smirked at the statement, “And she plays guitar for me when I miss you a lot and I can’t sleep, and she likes to look at the stars and read books in other languages.  She’s really brilliant Mom, and she takes good care of me, I promise.  And I really love her.”  Laura sat back on her heels and smiled, satisfied with her speech.  Carmilla kissed her on the cheek and sat down with her legs crossed.  Laura leaned into the vampire.

“Can— Can I say something?” Carmilla spoke after a beat. 

Laura beamed at her before introducing the two, “Mom, meet Carmilla.  Carmilla, my Mom, Julie Hollis.”

“Um, hi, Mrs. Hollis.  I’m sorry I won’t get to do this in person,” Carmilla heard Laura sniff next to her and squeezed her hand before continuing, “Laura spent this whole afternoon telling me all about you.  I just want to tell you that, you did it right.  Your daughter has grown up to be an amazing woman; she has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met, she would never hurt a fly.  She’s also one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, and trust me, I’ve met a ton of people.  I don’t know how I got so lucky to end up with Laura, but somehow I did.  I love her more than I ever thought possible and I promise to take good care of her.  I don’t know if you can hear me, or if you believe me, but I wanted you to know that.  Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hollis.” Carmilla exhaled and closed her eyes, still imagining Laura’s mother.  She and Laura sat in the silence for a few minutes before Laura stood up, holding her hand out to Carmilla.

“You ready to go home?” She asked.

“Yeah,” Carmilla took her hand and let Laura pull her to her feet.

The sun broke through the clouds as they walked back to the car, hands swinging between them.  Carmilla smiled as Laura whispered, “I love you,” and after a minute, “Both of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just feel like Laura's mom and Carmilla would be a lot like. I don't know. 
> 
> Let me know what you think! Should I write more oneshots?


End file.
